Associate Director, Legal Counsel - US36 Lonza USA Inc

Associate Director, Legal Counsel

Today, Lonza is a global leader in life sciences operating across three continents. While we work in science, there’s no magic formula to how we do it. Our greatest scientific solution is talented people working together, devising ideas that help businesses to help people. In exchange, we let our people own their careers. Their ideas, big and small, genuinely improve the world. And that’s the kind of work we want to be part of.

The Associate Director, Legal Counsel will provide general legal services at an exciting global company with U.S. offices located in New Jersey, Maryland, Texas, Florida, and Oregon, as well as manufacturing facilities in a number of other locations, in support of Lonza’s Cell & Gene Technologies (“CGT”) business unit, which advances the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of cell and gene therapy products for Lonza’s biotechnology and pharmaceutical customers.

The attorney in this role will work closely with all business functions and senior management within the CGT business unit and actively support the CGT team in achieving business objectives. The attorney will also be expected to demonstrate strategic value and competence in applying legal skills to daily corporate, business, compliance, and other matters. In particular, the Associate Director, Legal Counsel will support the drafting and negotiation of complex commercial agreements in support of the CGT business, including, for example, manufacturing services agreements and related statements of work, process development and other services agreements, pharmaceutical quality agreements, and others. This attorney will also provide day-to-day legal advice for the CGT business unit on matters involving operational, transactional, quality, marketing, and regulatory issues

In this role, the Associate Director, Legal Counsel will be a key contributor to the Lonza Legal team, supporting the legal team members responsible for the CGT business unit and reporting to a Senior Director, Assistant General Counsel.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide high-quality, competent, and timely legal review, advice, and support on a broad range of legal matters including commercial contracting, licensing, pharmaceutical quality and operational matters, marketing and promotional items, strategic transactions, and general corporate matters for Lonza’s CGT business unit
• Work closely with all CGT business functions and senior management.
• Actively assist business unit in achieving objectives.
• Identify areas of company risk and make proposals for and lead implementation of mitigation strategies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Key requirements:

• Juris doctorate degree in law
• Experience working on general commercial transactional / contracting matters at a major law firm and/or corporate in-house legal department.
• Life sciences, pharmaceutical, and/or FDA-compliance experience are advantageous

Key Skills:

• Experience and practical skills in commercial transactional / contracting matters.
• High degree of professional ethics and integrity.
• Excellent judgment and ability to operate in a fast-paced, small legal department on a broad range of commercial and legal matters with a primary focus on negotiating complex contractual arrangements with customers and vendors, typically in connection with services and goods. 
• Ability to act independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to provide solution-oriented, practical guidance in working with business management.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills and ability to communicate clearly with colleagues, outside counsel, business partners, and other stakeholders. 
• Excellent analytical skills and people skills are essential.
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities, to work efficiently, to manage, and to conclude, in a timely manner, agreements, projects, and issues. 
• Willingness to travel and work extended hours, as needed.
• Admission and membership in good standing to the bar of at least one state and maintenance of New Jersey in-house counsel license (if required)

Every day, Lonza’s products and services have a positive impact on millions of people. For us, this is not only a great privilege, but also a great responsibility. How we achieve our business results is just as important as the achievements themselves. At Lonza, we respect and protect our people and our environment. Any success we achieve is no success at all if not achieved ethically.

People come to Lonza for the challenge and creativity of solving complex problems and developing new ideas in life sciences. In return, we offer the satisfaction that comes with improving lives all around the world. The satisfaction that comes with making a meaningful difference.

Lonza is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a qualified individual with disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law